Protection by sugars against phase transition-induced leak in hydrated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes.

The disaccharides trehalose and sucrose have small effects on temperature and enthalpy of the pre- and main phase transition in hydrated DMPC bilayers. In contrast, these sugars cause a considerable retention of carboxyfluorescein when large unilamellar vesicles of DMPC are heated through the main transition. This effect is sugar specific, as the monosaccharides glucose and fructose are less effective and ethyleneglycol has no effect at all.